Reviewed by Mal
TITLE: The Island
AUTHOR: Briar Prescott
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 552 Pages
RELEASE DATE: September 30, 2025
BLURB:
My heart is in his hands, and he doesn’t even know it.
Adrian Elias Olsen crashed into my world like a wrecking ball—adventurous, carefree, and impossible to resist. He gave me a home, a family, and a place to belong.
Somewhere along the way, I gave him my heart… And now it’s too late to take it back.
I crave, and I yearn, and I ache, and I want.
Always.
All the time.
And he doesn’t have a clue.
I promised myself I’d get over him. The trip we take together is supposed to be the end—the last time he’s mine before I finally let him go.
But when paradise unexpectedly turns into purgatory, we’re forced to only rely on each other.
Suddenly, every glance lingers. Every touch burns. And the pull between us only grows stronger—dangerously so.
Because no matter how much I want him, I can’t have him.
In the real world, Adrian’s heart isn’t mine to keep.
In the real world, it already belongs to someone else.
REVIEW:
Pining… let me say that again PINING… omg what an awesomely sweet beginning- Dylan little Dylan is the sweetest child and then a woefully love struck, swimming in deep Unrequited feelings for his very best friend… the friend who have him a family.
Briar Prescott’s writing is poetry on a page and I loved wallowing in all these sweet feelings. The intense longing, craving that appears on page, Dylan almost trapped, stuck drawn to the flame that is Adrian. Their friendship doesn’t falter he learns to love with the longing until he can’t anymore but even distance doesn’t blunt the ache. Prescott is a master at immersing you into the characters POV and Dylan’s is almost painful to take.
Then comes the Island, I wasn’t expecting it to be .. how it was… and yet o loved the fresh take on best friends to lovers – it’s a slowwwww burn, every facet is stripped, nothing is convenient , the unrequited feelings don’t disappear and erstwhile friendship doesn’t just take a next step – there is rebirth, evolution growth not desperation but hope – it’s quite beautiful honestly. The place is hell and heaven in a nutshell and neither emerges as they went in. I would love to say more, I’m sure there are spoilers out there, but do yourself a favour and avoid them, let the story unfold the way the author tries to tell it.
Then suddenly after the high highs and the devastating lows and near loss they are back, in a world that doesn’t fit at all, with people they love and yet it feels like something is missing. The bond they’ve developed that love and rhe heat and fire and chemistry and they clutch to hold on. Yet suddenly the old is new and they have to figure that out too. This part is perfectly navigated by the author, the surrender, the fear of rejection, Dylan finding his voice from an unexpected corner. That ending is swoon and sublime and I have underlined all of it 😅.. I will be revisiting
This story is a beautiful beacon of love, resilience, found family, survival and soulmates. Do yourself a favour and read it.
Also a shout out for Indy, I need to see more if this character I absolutely adored and also Freya – I have mixed feelings – not much to say here. I will miss the Olsen family. Nina thank you for stepping up finally.
RATING: 
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